The present invention relates to an adjustable product guide assembly for adjusting the thickness of a product to be cut in a product saw device.
In conventional adjustable product guide assemblies, particularly meat guide assemblies for meat saws, an apparatus for determining the thickness of the product is usually desired. This apparatus usually includes a gauge plate which is adjustably mounted on the product saw device table, and which is adjustable to the product thickness.
For example, Fink et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,722,254, disclose a gauge adjusting means for conventional meat cutting band saws, which includes a vertical thickness gauge plate (14) adjustably mounted at the side of the table (6) rearwardly from the cutting plane of the blade (11), to facilitate setting the position of the gauge plate (14) relative to the blade (11). A vertical pusher plate (15) is slidable along one side of the table (5) to push and hold smaller pieces of meat against the thickness gauge plate (14) when the table is reciprocated to move the meat past the blade (11). A hand crank (251) is pinned on the front end of the shaft (249) which extends beneath the framework of the movable table (5). When the hand crank (251) is rotated, the screw (246) shifts the nut (245), and the gauge plate slide (240) is engaged between the lug (244) and the arm (247) of the nut (245), with the gauge plate (14) being shifted correspondingly.
However, Fink et al suffer from the disadvantages that the position of the hand crank (251) at the left side of the plate (5) is not convenient for the operator; small adjustments to the product guide assembly are difficult because there is no relationship between the turning of the hand crank (251) and the movement of the screw (246), etc.; and the structure of the assembly (i.e., screw (246), nut (245), lug (244) etc.) makes the gear engagement difficult to release for larger position movements.
Likewise, Cohen, U.S. Pat. No. 2,433,600, discloses a conventional meat slicing machine including a vertical slice regulating plate (15) which is longitudinally adjustable on a base (11) at right angles to the direction of movement of the reciprocal table (13), which is adapted to define an adjustable spaced relation relative to a saw (14) for regulating the thickness of a slice of meat to be cut. A rack bar (21) is reciprocally slidable relative to the under side of slide support (19), and longitudinal motion imparted thereto by handle (18) effects a corresponding longitudinal adjusting motion of rack bar (21). To lock the plate (15) in a desired adjusted position, a handle (32) is rotated clockwise to its extreme position limited by frictional contact between disc (31), bushing (29), gear (28), and washer (33). To release the pinion (28) and plate (15), the handle (32) is rotated counterclockwise to engage stop bar (34).
However, Cohen suffers from the disadvantages that two operations are required to lock the vertical plate (15) in position (i.e., the handle (18) and handle (32) must both be operated in sequence); and as stated above with respect to Fink et al, the position of the handle (32) to the side of the device is not convenient; small adjustments to the product guide assembly are difficult due to the fact that there is no relationship between the turning of the handle (32) and the movement of the pinion (28) and rack bar (21); and the structure of the assembly (i.e., using handle (32) to lock the plate (15) after the plate is moved using handle (18) makes the gear engagement difficult to release for larger position movements.
It is an object of the present invention to make a product guide assembly which can make small adjustments in a product guide which sets the thickness of a product to be cut.
Further, the object of the present invention is to provide an easy to release gear engagement so that the adjustable product guide assembly can be slid into any position for larger position movements.
Finally, the object of the present invention is to provide the placement of the control knob for the operator of the adjustable product guide assembly of the product saw device, in a more convenient and ergonomic position, so that the adjustable product guide assembly can be easily operated.
The present invention includes an adjustable product guide assembly for a product saw device which includes a product guide plate mounted to a first bracket which is slidable on a bar; a handle mounted on top of a second bracket and connected to a shaft, the handle which rotates a first worm gear pinned to the shaft; a second worm gear which is turned by the first worm gear, the second worm gear which is pinned to a pinion gear; a gear rack on the bar, the gear rack having gear rack teeth which are engaged with the pinion gear; a biasing member which is pressed between the second bracket that houses the first worm gear and the second worm gear, and a third bracket which is attached to the first bracket; wherein in a gear releasing mechanism, when the handle is pressed down, the second bracket pivots and compresses the biasing member such that the gear rack teeth disengage from the pinion gear via the first worm gear and the second worm gear, and the product guide plate can be moved along the gear rack teeth of the bar.
The gears are sized so that one revolution of the handle turns the worm gear 36 degrees, which causes the pinion gear to displace 0.2 inches of linear motion. This 10:1 ratio of the turning handle and the turning pinion gear provides the ability to make small adjustments to the position of the product guide plate.
In summary, the present invention allows small adjustments to be made to the position of the meat guide; an easy gear releasing mechanism so that the product guide plate can be slid into any position for larger position movements; and a placement of the handle on top of the first bracket which is an operator-convenient (ergonomic) location, so that the adjustable product guide assembly is easily operated.